WO 99/26710 discloses a filter element in which in the flow direction several layers of a filter medium are joined to each other. For improving the total particle retaining capacity for a given filter fineness or for increasing the filter fineness for a given particle retaining capacity, the filter fineness increases in the flow direction of the fluid from individual layer to the next individual layer. Upon blocking of the surface of one of the individual layers by the separated particles, a differential pressure between the inflow side and the outflow side of the filter medium surpasses a maximum permissible value so that the filter medium must be exchanged.